Well jar



vAiaril 16%1935. u w.E.ANN|N 1,998,214

WELL JAR Filed July 24, 1953 III Tl 2 Fi T /j A F1; 5 l A M /5 /2/ ,ff l N w ff 34 /d 35 4i# v E 5.5/ l M M -J A5 26 n\ yZ6 f f-f v2# 40\; /.Z.5

6 6 Z4 l A9 Z 25 l NVENTOR MLU/1M E ANA/7N A TTORNE Y Patented Apr. 16, 12935 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE 1,998,214 Y WELL .IAR William E. Annin, Huntington -Park, Calif. Application July 24, 1933, Serial No. 681,955

6 Claims.

This'invention relates to an oil well tool and particularly pertains to a well jar. In the drilling of oil wells it often becomes necessary to apply a violent jarring actionto parts of the drilling equipment in order to loosen members which have become lodged in the well bore. Various devices have been provided for accomplishing this' purpose, most of said structures being characterized by having a hammer and an anvil which are interposed in the drill string between the member which is to be dislodged and the portion ci the drill string above the well, and which members are brought into forcible contact with each other by placing a predetermined tension upon the drill string and then suddenly releasing the elements of the jar to cause the hammer and the anvil to strike each other and create an upward blow tending to loosen the object fastened in the hole. Such structures require an excessive degree of tension to be applied to the drill string, and it is the principal .object of the present invention to provide a well jar apparatus in which the degree of impact force created between the hammer and the anvil will be directly proportional to the amount of torque given the drill string as distinguished from the amount of tension usually set up to produce the same force.

Another object of the present invention is to provide means permitting a circulation of fluid within the jar as the parts reciprocate which will act to maintain the jar free from an accumulation of sand, silt, and other extraneous matter.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a cage fixed to the portion of the drill pipe by which the device is suspended, a mandrel reciprocably mounted therein and fixed to the portion of the drill pipebelow the jar and attached to the iish, said cage and mandrel being iitted with means whereby said elements may be temporarily locked together by torsion and separated by tension in direct proportion to the amount of torsional force with which the parts are locked.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawingin which:

Figure l is a view in vertical section and eleva tion showing the parts of the jar in their locked positions.

Fig. 2 is a vew'similar to Fig. 1 showing the jar with its parts in their impact positions. 00 Fig. 3 is a view in transverse section through the well jar as seen on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a View in transverse section through the well jar as seen on the line 4-4 of Fig. '1.

Fig. 5 is a view in transverse section through the welljar as seen on the line 5--5 of Fig. 2.

(Cl. Z55- 27) Fig. 6 isa view in transverse section as seen on the line 5 5 of Fig. l.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, IU indicates the upper portion of a drillstring, the lower section of which is formed with a box coupling ll to receive a pin l2. The pin forms the lower connection for arwell jarstructurev I3 which structure includes a cage l 4 and amandrel I5. The mandrel is formed at its lower end with a tapered threaded portion l5 which connects with the length of drill tubing l1 carrying a fishing tool I8. This tool is used in common practice to engage a piece of casing or tubingwhich has become fastened in the hole and which must be jarred loose. The lower end of the cage hl is tted with a sub l 9 which is threaded on to the end of the cage by an extending portion 20. A central cylindrical passageway 2l is formed longitudinally of the sub. As shown in Fig. 6 of the drawing, a plurality of keyways 23 are formed longitudinally of the inner wall of the sub and receive splines y2l! formed upon the mandrel l5 and extending longi-V tudinally thereof. Due to this arrangement the mandrel and the cage may have a desired vertical reciprocation with relation to each other without interrupting the rotary driving connection between the parts. 'Ihe upper end of the subi9 provides an anvil face 25 within the cage. Formed as part of the mandrel l5 at a point above the length occupied by the splines 26 is an enlarged hammer portion 25 which may be brought into forcible contact with the anvil face 25 to produce the jarring action required in the operation of the present invention. yThe' mandrel portion above the hammer 2B provides a cylindricalVV lock stem 2T, which reciprocates within a lock sleeve 28. This sleeve is threaded at its upper end to vreceive a tubular extension 2! which extends upwardly through a sub Sli and is there secured by being threaded to the pin l l. This pin abuts against the f upper face of the sub and holds the upper faceof the lock sleeve 28 in fixed relation to the inner end of the sub 3G. Extending upwardly throughk a central opening 3l is the member 29 having a central circulating passageway extending therethrough. AThe lower end of the member 29 com-` municates with the upper end of the mandrel |75, it being understoodV that acentral circulation opening 34 extends entirely through the mandrel I5 to permit circulation of iuid through the well jar f from-the section of'tubing I0 to the'section of tubing Il and vice versa. `The lock sleeve 28 is formed with dametrically opposite keyways 35 and 36 and in a plane at right angles to the mediam-line of said keyways is'formed a plurality-v of lock openings 31 which are spaced one from the other throughout the length of the lock sleeve 28. These openings communicate with the longitudinal keyways 35 and 3S as particularly indicated in Fig. 5 of the drawing. It will also be seen that the openings have upper and lower parallel Walls inclined with relation to the trans- Verse plane of the jar. The upper extension 21 of the mandrel is formed with a plurality of diametrically opposed lock lugs. 38. These lugs in side elevation agree in contour withrthe vperimeter of the openings 31. In transverse section these lugs agree with the sectional formation ofl. the vertical keyways 35. It is to be understood that the vertical keyways extend the entire length of the sleevel 28 from a pointdirectlyzbelgwthe" tiontothe `jar as ,toinsure that tension applied tothe jar will cause the annularfaces of the lugs 38yand the openingsl to move relative to each other under tension-until ythese members become disengaged and theglugs are free. to movedown- Wardly alongv the opposite keyways. An analysisoflthre structure willrshow that the greater the `arnount of torsion applied to the drill -pstem thegreater amount of tension willybe requiredto disengage the parts.

In `theoperation ofpwell jars the relative move-. ment of the jarpartsis often accommodated bya partial gcirculation yofglieaiid throughV the` jar. In Wells Where sand Aand silt is suspended inthe iluid within the Well such material `is liable to ac.- cumulate. within the jarstructure andA prevent proper relative movement of the. parts.. and a proper functioning of the tool. In the presentV instance1 means have been providedvto4 eliminate such-'an objection by the provision of circulation ports vthroughrthe Wall'ofthe cage I4 and'preff` erably directly above theanvil face 25. Due lto this arrangement'.relative` reciprocation between the anvil land the cage will permit iiuid to `be drawnl into thefcage onan upstroke -of rthe.mandreland expellpedmltherefromY on the downstroke of the mandrel. This will forceithe iiuidy Vfromthe cage andprevent it from accumulating therein.-

In operation ofthe present invention a Well jar is mounted at the lower end of a section Vof rdrill stringAV Il) and abovev a section. of drill string I1 which last named section carries a ishingtooll 8.1 The drill string and the Welljar are then lowered into the welluntil the shing; tool encounterstheiish, During this time the mandrel is at. its.lowermostpositionand in Contact With-the anvil 25. It will also be evident thatthe splines,

24 will be vvertically slidable in the .keyways 23.

the, uppermost lug eneountersank inclined fac e. of .the. uppermost opening 31,; at Whichtime i the torque@ the .upper :iubineeeeteni willi ceusefiha lugs .38 to move fromV the rsplineways .-36 into'V thet openings31. nAt thisgtimeardrill.string.is placedv under a desired amount of torsionA in a-clockwise direton and; at. theksmeftime `iplatecl-filridee tension. The force of the blow which will be delivered subsequently by the hammer to the anvil will be in direct proportion to the amount of torsion imposed upon the drill string. It will be evident that the more twist given to the drill string the more tension will be required in producing a reaction sufficient to cause the inclined faces of the lugs 38 and the openings 31 to slip with relation to each other and to move the lugs 38 into the longitudinal splineways andcause the relative tension on the drill string tofbefused as impact between the hammer and the anvil. When the mandrel telescopes within the cage any fluid Within the cage will be expelled through the ports 40. The force of this action is sufficient to clearnthe1 cageof sand and other solid particles which might have been suspended in the liquid-and-would-tend to clog the structure so that itwould operate inoperatively or imperfectly at the least. By the arrangement here shown, itwilljblegseen.-thatjhe,sleevenZ and thefanvilgZB a1e..ra 1ilyy renewable-f Furthermore, the openings 31 formedthroughv thesleeve,2fmay baconveniently machined without requiring expensivef machine worktas would be the case if ythese-open-v ings were vn '1illed.ir1to theinner-face ofthe cage i4 of thefjar,

It will thusbe seenv that the structure here shown4 providesv simple and effective. means for creating adesired jarring action between thev whereby a, suflicient flow of fluid'will be mainif 1 tained within the jar; and in and Aout through the Wall of the bodyas tomaintain the parts clear of an accumulation lo f solid particleswhich might g otherwise obstructfand interfere with vthe opera A tion of the jar.

While I have. shown the preferred form of'myf invention, as-nowy known to me, it lwill `be understood thatrvariousvchangesmay begmade in the construction, combination, and` arangement of parts bythose,skilledin-the art, without departingfrom the-spirit of theinvention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention.; what Iv claim and desire to secure byLettersl Patentis:

l, A-Well jar'ocmprising a tubular ,cagosecu' to adrillstringfsection, a` tubular mandrel ada-l ed. to reciprocate infsaid-cage and securedto ann other drillv string section,- means for permitting relativelongitudinal movement between the two parts without allow-ing relative `rotation of the parts, afpluralityfof inclined lugs on the mandrel,

a lock sleeve carried with thecage, a central bore throughy said sleeve, keyways extending longitudinally thereof and along which t -e lock-lugs may move, openings inthe .sleeve into which` the loci: lugs may Ymove from .the-keyways when4 in n n ter thereWithand whereby tension and toi.l en may be applied to the drill string supporting` said jarto cause the locklugsto. become disengaged fromuthesleeve openings wheny a .predeter-A mined tension has beenV `exerted A with the f result that the,harnmerand theanvil will come together with impact.

2. Arwelljar comprisingatubular cage secured to a drill. stringsectiom a tubular mandrel adapt-,- ed to. reciprocate in. said` cage. and. securedgtoanother drillstring section; meansror permitting., relative .longitudinal movement betweenA the-:two parts :Without allowing relativerotation of y the partsraipluralitr 0f .inclined luesfon.- themandrel, a 100k ,Sleeve-fmrriel.with.I th'caeeta central. bore through said sleeve, keyways extending longitudinally thereof and along which the lock lugs may move, openings in the sleeve into which the lock lugs may move from the keyways when in register therewith and whereby tension and torsion may be applied to the drill string supporting said jar to cause the lock lugs to become disengaged from the sleeve openings when a predetermined tension has been exerted with the result that the hammer and the anvil will come together with impact.

3. A well jar comprising a tubular cage secured to a drilling string section, a tubular mandrel adapted to reciprocate within the said cage and being secured to another drill string section, means for permitting relative longitudinal movement between the cage and the mandrel without allowingr relative rotation of the parts, a tubular lock sleeve supported at its upper end in fixed relation to the upper drill string section and extending downwardly within the cage and terminating in a square lower face, slotted openings formed through the side walls of said sleeve with the upper and lower faces of said openings inclined, longitudinally extending keyways formed in the inner face of said sleeve and with each of which a set of said slotted openings communicate, the aforementioned mandrel being mounted to reciprocate within said sleeve, lugs projecting from the cylindrical surface of the mandrel and being of a circumferential length to move along the longitudinal slots of the sleeve and having angle faces corresponding with the faces of the openings through the lock sleeve whereby relative rotation of the lock sleeve with the mandrel may be effected, and a hammer shoulder formed upon the mandrel and adapted to alternately engage an anvil shoulder occuring at the bottom of the cage and the end face of the lock sleeve at the opposite ends of the stroke of the mandrel with relation to the cage.

4. A well jar comprising a tubular cage secured to a drilling string section, a tubular mandrel adapted to reciprocate within the said cage and being secured to another drill string section, means for permitting relative longitudinal movement between the cage and the mandrel without allowing relative rotation of the parts, a tubular lock sleeve supported at its upper end in fixed relation to the upper drill string section and extending downwardly within the cage and terminating in a square lower face, slotted openings formed through the side walls of said sleeve with the upper and lower faces of said openings inclined, longitudinally extending keyways formed in the inner face of said sleeve and with each of which a set of said slotted openings communicate, the aforementioned mandrel being mounted to reciprocate within said sleeve, lugs projecting from the cylindrical surface of the mandrel and being of a circumferential length to move along the longitudinal slots of the sleeve and having angle faces corresponding with the faces of the openings through the lock sleeve whereby relative rotation of the lock sleeve with the mandrel may be effected, and a hammer shoulder formed upon the mandrel and adapted to alternately engage an anvil shoulder occurring at the bottom of the cage and the end face of the lock sleeve at the opposite ends of the stroke of the mandrel with relation to the cage, said lock sleeve and anvil being characterized as being removable from their working positions.

5. A well jar comprising a tubular cage carried at the lower end of a drill string and mounted in a manner to have rotation with relation to the drill string and around the longitudinal axis thereof, a tubular mandrel extending into the lower end of said cage, an anvil disposed at the lower end of the cage and through which the mandrel reciprocates, complementary splines and keyways formed longitudinally of the anvil and the mandrel to permit relative longitudinal movement without relative rotation, an enlarged collar formed on the mandrel intermediate its ends the under face of which is adapted to be engaged by the anvil, a lock sleeve disposed within the cage and through which the portion of the mandrel above the collar extends, means securing the sleeve at the lower end of the drill string and to rotate therewith, inclined slotted openings being formed through opposite side walls of the lock sleeve, eachset of slotted openings terminating at their one ends in longitudinal keyways formed in the inner face of the sleeve, complementary inclined lugs projecting from opposite sides of the mandrel and adapted to move longitudinally in the keyways and upon relative rotation of the lock sleeve and the mandrel to move into and out of the inclined openings of the lock sleeve when in register therewith.

6. A well jar comprising a tubular cage carried at the lower end of a drill string and mounted in a manner to have rotation with relation to the drill string and around the longitudinal axis thereof, a tubular mandrel extending into the lower end of said cage, an anvil disposed at the lower end of the cage and through which the mandrel reciprocates, complementary splines and keyways formed longitudinally of the anvil and the mandrel to permit relative longitudinal movement without relative rotation, an enlarged collar formed on the mandrel intermediate its ends the under face of which is adapted to be engaged by the anvil, a lock sleeve disposed within the cage and through which the portion of the mandrel above the collar extends, means securing the sleeve at the lower end of the drill string and to rotate therewith, inclined slotted openings being formed through opposite side walls of the lock sleeve, each set of slotted openings terminat- 'ing at their one ends in longitudinal keyv/ays formed in the inner face of the sleeve, complementary inclined lugs projecting from opposite sides of the mandrel and adapted to move longitudinally in the keyways and upon relative rotation of the lock sleeve and the mandrel to move into and out of the inclined openings of the lock sleeve when in register therewith, said lock sleeve being detachably disposed at the lower end of the upper drill string section.

WILLIAM E. ANNIN. 

